Device for taking out a straw for a beverage can

ABSTRACT

By lifting the other end of a grip, one end of the grip presses down a can lid portion, and a can opening is formed in a can upper wall while a score line delimiting the can lid portion is torn. The can lid portion is moved into the beverage can, an edge of the can lid portion, which is opposed to the other end of the grip is moved and contacted to a connection piece thereby to bend the connection piece along its score line. Accordingly, the continuously moving can lid portion pulls the connection piece toward the center of the beverage can, and a rotating member integrally connected to the connection piece is rotated about the line connecting the centers of a pair of projections. As the rotating member is rotated, an upper end of the rotating member is moved toward the can opening, and a bellows part of a straw, which is prevented from upward expanding, projects through the can opening and beyond the can upper wall. Therefore, it is possible to drink beverage through the projected straw.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a device for taking out a straw for abeverage can, and more particularly to a device for taking a straw for abeverage can, by which a straw compressively received in a beverage canmay be automatically projected through a can opening and beyond a canupper wall while a can lid portion formed when a beverage can is openedis moved downward or upward into or out of the beverage can, whereby itis possible to conveniently and hygienically drink beverage.

BACKGROUND ART

Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a partially broken perspectiveview which shows a structure of a beverage can of the prior art. Abeverage can 10 is generally made from aluminum. The beverage can 10includes a can side wall 11 having substantially a cylindricalconfiguration, and a can upper wall 12 and a can bottom wall which closean upper end and a lower end of the cylindrical side wall 11,respectively. The can upper wall 12 is provided with a grip 15 which issecured to the can upper wall 12 by using an appropriate technique wellknown in the art, such as rivetting. Below one end of the grip 15, thecan upper wall 12 is formed with a score line which delimits a can lidportion 14. By lifting the other end of the grip 15, the one end of thegrip 15 presses down the can lid portion 14 encompassed by the scoreline, then the score line is torn, and the can lid portion 14 is movedinto the beverage can 10 to define a can opening 13 in the can upperwall 12, whereby it is possible to drink beverage through the canopening 13.

However, in the beverage can of the prior art, constructed as mentionedabove, since one's lip must be put onto the can upper wall defining thecan opening, hygiene cannot be ensured. In other words, since foreignmaterial such as dust, etc. is adhered onto the can upper wall, it isnecessary to remove the foreign material such as dust, etc. beforeopening the beverage can. However, although it is possible to locate atissue, etc. when drinking the beverage can in office or home, it isdifficult to locate the tissue, etc. when drinking the beverage can inthe fields. Accordingly, in the latter case, since the foreign materialsuch as dust, etc. is eliminated using handkerchief or clothes, etc.,hygiene cannot be ensured. Also, since one's lip must be put onto thecan upper wall defining the can opening to drink beverage, beverage isapt to run down out of the beverage can even with minor inadvertence,thereby to soil clothes.

In order to hygienically drink beverage, it is usual practice to drinkbeverage through a portion of a straw which is projected upward beyondthe can upper wall in a state that the straw is inserted through the canopening into the beverage can. However, in this case, it is inconvenientto prepare a separate straw. Also, when the straw is used, since it isneeded to grasp the beverage can with one hand and the straw with theother hand, the use thereof is very troublesome.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in an effort to solvethe problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the presentinvention is to provide a device for taking out a straw for a beveragecan, by which a straw compressively received in a beverage can may beautomatically projected through a can opening and beyond a can upperwall while a can lid portion formed when a beverage can is opened ismoved downward or upward into or out of the beverage can, whereby it ispossible to conveniently and hygienically drink beverage.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided adevice for taking out a straw for a beverage can, comprising: A rotatingmember rotatably secured to a can upper wall or a can side wall in thebeverage can and defining an inner space into which the straw can beinserted, the rotating member being rotated by a can lid portion formedwhen the beverage can is opened, to project the straw upward through acan opening and beyond the can upper wall.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the device furthercomprises: a fixed member having an upper end secured to the can upperwall in the beverage can and a lower end to which the rotating member isrotatably secured.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the rotatingmember has a cylindrical configuration, a portion of the rotating memberis cut in a longitudinal direction and bent to define a connection piecewhich extends slantingly toward the can upper wall, and an upper end ofthe connecting piece is secured to the can upper wall.

According to another aspect of the present invention, substantially amiddle portion of the connection piece is formed with a score line, anedge of the can lid portion moving into the beverage can when thebeverage can is opened is contacted to the middle portion to bend theconnection piece along the score line, and the rotating member isrotated while the can lid portion is continuously moved into thebeverage can after bending the connection piece.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the straw has abellows part and a straight part, the bellows part being compressivelyreceived in the inner space of the rotating member and the straight partextending from a lower end of the rotating member toward a can bottomwall.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the strawcomprises a vinyl tube and a coil spring wound around a circumferentialinner or outer surface of the vinyl tube.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the fixed memberhas a semicircular cross-section, the rotating member is fitted into thefixed member, and the upper end of the fixed member is formed with abarrier piece for blocking upward expansion of the straw.

Also, according to still another aspect of the present invention, thereis provided a device for taking out a straw for a beverage can,comprising: a plate-shaped straw take-out member having one end definingan inner space into which the straw can be inserted and formed with anengaging piece, the other end formed with a stepped portion into whichthe engaging piece can be engaged, and a middle portion bent such that adegree is defined between the ends.

According to yet still another aspect of the present invention, thestraw take-out member comprises a pair of elastic plates integrallyconnected with each other, the pair of elastic plates being contactedwith each other and positioned into a side by side relationship when theengaging piece is engaged into the stepped portion, and a can lidportion being formed when the beverage can is opened disengages theengaging piece from the stepped portion while it is moved into thebeverage can.

By the features of the present invention, due to the fact that a strawcompressively received in a beverage can may be automatically projectedthrough a can opening and beyond a can upper wall while a can lidportion formed when a beverage can is opened is moved downward or upwardinto or out of the beverage can, it is not needed to prepare a separatestraw and to grasp the straw with a hand while drinking beverage usingthe straw, whereby convenience is ensured. Also, since a disinfectedstraw is contained in the beverage can such that it is projected outsideto be conveniently used, it is not needed to put one's lip onto a canupper wall defining a can opening, whereby hygiene is ensured.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The above objects, and other features and advantages of the presentinvention will become more apparent after a reading of the followingdetailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partially broken perspective view illustrating a structureof a beverage can of the prior art;

FIG. 2 is a partially broken perspective view illustrating a state inwhich a beverage can having installed therein a device for taking out astraw in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention isopened;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the device for taking out astraw according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a state in whichthe device for taking out a straw of FIG. 3 is installed into thebeverage can,

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a state in whichthe beverage can is opened to project a straw upward beyond a can upperwall;

FIG. 6 is a partially broken front view showing another straw inaccordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating an independent appearance of adevice for taking out a straw in accordance with still anotherembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a partially broken perspective view illustrating a state inwhich a beverage can having installed therein the device for taking outa straw of FIG. 7 is opened;

FIG. 9 is a partial sectional plan view for explaining a structure bywhich the straw is taken out by the device of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view for explaining a structure bywhich the straw is taken out in accordance with yet still anotherembodiment of the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in greater detail to a preferred embodimentof the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals will be usedthroughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

Referring to FIGS. 2 through 6, a beverage can 100 is generally madefrom aluminum. The beverage can 100 includes a can side wall 110 havingsubstantially a cylindrical configuration, and a can upper wall 120 anda can bottom wall which close an upper end and a lower end of thecylindrical side wall 110, respectively. The can upper wall 120 isprovided with a grip 159 which is secured to the can upper wall 120 byusing an appropriate technique well known in the art, such as rivetting.Below one end of the grip 150, the can upper wall 120 is formed with ascore line which delimits a can lid portion 140. By lifting the otherend of the grip 150, the one end of the grip 150 presses down the canlid portion 140 encompassed by the score line, then the score line istorn, and the can lid portion 140 is moved into the beverage can 100 todefine a can opening 130 in the can upper wall 120, whereby it ispossible to drink beverage through the can opening 130.

A device 200 for taking out a straw is provided in the beverage can 100and includes a fixed member 210 and a rotating member 220.

The fixed member 210, as best shown in FIG. 3, extends in thelongitudinal direction and has a semicircular cross-section. An upperend of the fixed member 210 is integrally formed with a barrier piece211 such that it blocks the semicircular cross-section of the fixedmember 210. An inner surface of a lower end of the fixed member 210 isformed with a pair of projections 213 such that they are opposed to eachother. The barrier piece 211 is secured to a lower surface of the canupper wall 120 by using an appropriate fastening means, by which thefixed member 210 is firmly secured to the can upper wall 120.

The rotating member 220, as best shown in FIG. 3, has substantially acylindrical configuration, and a portion of the rotating member 220 iscut in the longitudinal direction and bent in its lower end to define aconnection piece 223. The connection piece 223 extends slantingly towardthe can upper wall 120, and an upper end of the connection piece 223 isbent again to define a flat portion. The flat portion is secured to alower surface of the can lid portion 140 by using an appropriatefastening means known in the art. Substantially a middle portion of theconnection piece 223 is formed with a score line 224, and thereby theconnection piece 223 can be easily bent along the score line 224.

The rotating member 220 is received in a semicircular recess of thefixed member 210, and an outer surface of a lower end of the rotatingmember 220 is formed with a pair of inserting grooves 222 such that theyare opposed to each other. By the fact that the pair of projections 213formed in the fixed member 210 is inserted into the pair of insertinggrooves 222, respectively, the rotating member 220 can be rotated abouta line connecting the centers of the pair of projections 213. Therotating member 220 functions to support a straw 230, and in a preferredembodiment of the present invention, the straw 230 has a bellows partand a straight part. The bellows part of the straw 230 is compressivelyreceived in the cylindrical rotating member 220, and the straight partof the straw 230 extends downward from the lower end of the rotatingmember 220 toward the can bottom wall. For this, the lower end of thecylindrical rotating member 220 may be formed with an inward flange andthe straight part may have a diameter less than the bellows part. Due tothe fact that an upper end of the bellows part contacts to a lowersurface of the barrier piece 211 of the fixed member 210, an upwardexpansion of the bellows part compressively received in the rotatingmember 220 is prevented.

Hereinafter, an operation of the device 200 for taking out a straw inaccordance with this embodiment of the present invention will bedescribed in detail:

As shown in FIG. 4, in case that the can lid portion 140 of the beveragecan 100 is not opened, the fixed member 210 is firmly secured to thelower surface of the can upper wall 120, and the rotating member 220 isreceived in the semicircular recess of the fixed member 210. The lowerend of the rotating member 220 is rotatably secured to the fixed member210, and the connection piece 223 of the rotating member 220 is securedat its upper end to the lower surface of the can lid portion 140 whileextending slantingly toward the can upper wall 120. The bellows part ofthe straw 230 is compressively received in the rotating member 220, andthe upper end of the bellows part is squeezed against the lower surfaceof the barrier piece 211 of the fixed member 210.

As shown in FIG. 5, in case that the can lid portion 140 of the beveragecan 100 is opened, by lifting the other end of the grip 150, the one endof the grip 150 presses down the can lid portion 140, and according tothis, the can opening 130 is formed in the can upper wall 120 while thescore line delimiting the can lid portion 140 is torn. The can lidportion 140 is moved into the beverage can 100, an edge of the can lidportion 140, which is opposed to the other end of the grip 150 is movedand contacted to the connection piece 223 thereby to bend the connectionpiece 223 along the score line 224. Accordingly, the continuously movingcan lid portion 140 pulls the connection piece 223 toward the center ofthe beverage can 100, and the rotating member 220 integrally connectedto the connection member 223 is rotated about the line connecting thecenters of the pair of projections 213. As the rotating member 220 isrotated, the upper end of the rotating member 220 is moved toward thecan opening 130, and the bellows part of the straw 230, which isprevented from upward expanding, projects through the can opening 130and beyond the can upper wall 120. Therefore, it is possible to drinkbeverage through the projected straw 230.

Referring to FIG. 6, there is illustrated a partially broken front viewshowing another straw in accordance with another embodiment of thepresent invention.

The straw 230 according to this embodiment of the present inventionincludes a vinyl tube 231 and a coil spring 232 wound around acircumferential inner or outer surface of the vinyl tube 231.Accordingly, without forming a separate bellows part in a straw, theentire straw 230 can have a contracting property.

Referring to FIGS. 7 through 9, there is illustrated a device for takingout a straw in accordance with still another embodiment of the presentinvention. The device for taking out a straw according to thisembodiment of the present invention has substantially a hinge-shapedconfiguration, and has a rotating plate part 250 and a fixed plate part250 a which are integrally formed. An elastic channel part 240 is formedin the region where the rotating plate part 250 and the fixed plate part250 a are connected to each other, to facilitate the rotation of therotating plate part 250.

Adjacent to the elastic channel part 240, a connection piece 241 isformed on an upper end surface of the fixed plate part 250 a such thatit extends in a horizontal direction. The connection piece 241 issecured to the can upper wall 120 by using an appropriate fasteningmeans known in the art. A portion of the fixed plate part 250 a adjacentto the connection piece 241 is cut to define an elastic piece 280 whichis bent in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the fixed plate part250 a. Substantially a middle portion of the elastic piece 280 is bentto form a stepped portion 281. Between the elastic piece 280 and thefree end of the fixed plate part 250 a, a barrier piece 290 is formed onthe upper end surface of the fixed plate part 250 a. The barrier piece290 horizontally extends in a direction opposed to the direction inwhich the connection piece 241 extends.

The free end of the rotating plate part 250 is formed with a strawsupport tube 260 which has substantially a cylindrical configuration andextends in the longitudinal direction. A portion adjacent to an upperend of the straw support tube 260 is cut and bent in a radial directionto form an engaging piece 270. The straw support tube 260 functions tosupport the straw 230, and in a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, the straw 230 has a bellows part and a straight part. Thebellows part of the straw 230 is compressively received in the strawsupport tube 260, and the straight part of the straw 230 extendsdownward from a lower end of the straw support tube 260 toward the canbottom wall. For this, the lower end of the straw support tube 260 maybe formed with an inward flange and the straight part may have adiameter less than the bellows part. Due to the fact that an upper endof the bellows part contacts to a lower surface of the barrier piece 290of the fixed plate part 250 a, upward expansion of the bellows partcompressively received in the straw support tube 290 is prevented.

Hereinafter, the operation of the device for taking out a strawaccording to this embodiment of the present invention, constructed asmentioned above, will be described in detail:

By the fact that the connection piece 241 is secured to the lowersurface of the can upper wall 120, the fixed plate part 250 a is firmlysecured to the can upper wall 120. In case that the can lid portion 140of the beverage can 100 is not opened, the engaging piece 270 of therotating plate 250 is engaged into the stepped portion 281 of the fixedplate part 250 a, whereby the rotating plate part 250 is position in aside by side relationship with the fixed plate part 250 a. In case thatthe can lid portion 140 of the beverage can 100 is opened, by liftingthe other end of the grip 150, the one end of the grip 150 presses downthe can lid portion 140, and according to this, the can opening 130 isformed in the can upper wall 120 while the score line delimiting the canlid portion 140 is torn. The can lid portion 140 is moved into thebeverage can 100, an edge of the can lid portion 140, which is opposedto the other end of the grip 150 is moved and contacted to the elasticpiece 280 thereby to disengage the engaging piece 270 from the steppedportion 281. If the the engaging piece 270 is disengaged from thestepped portion 281, the rotating plate part 250 positioned in the sideby side relationship with the fixed plate part 250 a is rotated suchthat a degree is defined between the two plate parts 250 and 250 a. Asthe rotating plate part 250 is rotated, the straw support tube 260formed in the free end of the rotating plate part 250 is moved towardthe can opening 130, and the bellows part of the straw 230, which isprevented from upward expanding, projects through the opening 130 andbeyond the can upper wall 120. Therefore, it is possible to drinkbeverage through the projected straw 230.

Referring to FIG. 10, there is illustrated a partial cross-sectionalview for explaining a structure by which the straw is taken out inaccordance with yet still another embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment of the present invention, a can opening is formed inthe can upper wall 120 while a can lid portion 140 formed in the canupper wall 120 of the beverage can 100 is lifted. The device accordingto this embodiment is the same with that according to the embodimentshown in FIGS. 7 through 9, except that a projecting flange portion 300is integrally formed in the lower surface of the can lid portion 140.The projecting flange portion 300 disengages the engaging piece 270 fromthe stepped portion 281 while moving as the can lid portion 140 islifted.

Industrial Applicability

As a result, according to the present invention, due to the fact that astraw compressively received in a beverage can may be automaticallyprojected through a can opening and beyond a can upper wall while a canlid portion formed when a beverage can is opened is moved downward orupward into or out of the beverage can, it is not needed to prepare aseparate straw and to grasp the straw with a hand while drinkingbeverage using the straw, whereby convenience is ensured. Also, since adisinfected straw is contained in the beverage can such that it isprojected outside to be conveniently used, it is not needed to put one'slip onto a can upper wall defining a can opening, whereby hygiene isensured.

In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed typicalpreferred embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms areemployed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and notfor purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forthin the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for taking out a straw for a beveragecan comprising: a rotating member rotatably secured to a can upper wallor a can side wall in the beverage can and defining an inner space intowhich the straw can be inserted, said rotating member being rotated by acan lid portion formed when said beverage can is opened, to project saidstraw upward through a can opening and beyond said can upper wall, and afixed member having an upper end secured to said can upper wall in saidbeverage can and a lower end to which said rotating member is rotatablysecured.
 2. A device for taking out a straw for a beverage can asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said rotating member has a cylindricalconfiguration, a portion of said rotating member is cut in alongitudinal direction and bent to define a connection piece whichextends slantingly toward said can upper wall, and an upper end of saidconnection piece is secured to said can upper wall.
 3. A device fortaking out a straw for a beverage can as claimed in claim 2, whereinsubstantially a middle portion of said connection piece is formed with ascore line, an edge of said can lid portion moving into said beveragecan when said beverage can is opened is contacted to said middle portionto bend said connection piece along said score line, and said rotatingmember is rotated while said can lid portion is continuously moved intosaid beverage can after bending said connection piece.
 4. A device fortaking out a straw for a beverage can as claimed in claim 1, furthercomprising the straw having a bellows part and a straight part, saidbellows part being compressively received in said inner space of saidrotating member and said straight part extending from a lower end ofsaid rotating member toward a can bottom wall.
 5. A device for takingout a straw for a beverage can as claimed in claim 4, wherein the strawcomprises a vinyl tube and a coil spring wound around a circumferentialinner or outer surface of said vinyl tube.
 6. A device for taking out astraw for a beverage can as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fixedmember has a semicircular cross-section, said rotating member is fittedinto said fixed member, and said upper end of said fixed member isformed with a barrier piece for blocking upward expansion of said straw.7. A device for taking out a straw for a beverage can, comprising aplate-shaped straw take-out member having one end defining an innerspace into which the straw can be inserted and formed with an engagingpiece, the other end formed with a stepped portion into which saidengaging piece can be engaged, and a middle portion bent such that adegree is defined between said ends, wherein said straw take-out membercomprises a pair of elastic plates integrally connected with each other,said pair of elastic plates being contacted with each other andpositioned into a side by side relationship when said engaging piece isengaged into said stepped portion, and said engaging piece is disengagedfrom said stepped portion by a can lid portion while the can lid portionis moved into said beverage can.